


Downfall

by lovelacegsl



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-09
Updated: 2020-05-09
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:53:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24083146
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lovelacegsl/pseuds/lovelacegsl
Summary: Betty Cooper had her life planned before Archie Andrews returned from the Naval Academy, will she follow her guts or her brain?
Relationships: Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper
Kudos: 19





	Downfall

'So... it's happening?' Archie said, joining Betty in her doorsteps

After not seeing each other for five years, the four had accorded to meet in Riverdale again, they had shared a hamburger and a milkshake at pops. Veronica and him had broken up when she found out about his feelings for Betty

She said it would have been better if it was just physical but he couldn't deny his feelings, not this time, not again

They had remained as friends, even Jughead. After crying when he found out about Betty and Archie, Betty denied all her feelings and told Jughead he was the only man for her and he... he believed her, and then they went to Yale together 

At this point he had lost all respect he had for Jughead, but they remained as friends, they had labeled the kiss as a mistake, they were young and stupid and relentless

He wondered if Betty was happy all this five years 

He surely wasn't, on the naval academy, everyday thinking of Betty, sometimes his mind wandered to Veronica, when he came back Veronica told him she and Reggie had been dating for three years now 

He didn't hated them for that he deserved it 

And now, Jughead told him he had proposed to Betty, he wanted to scream, and hit Jughead and then himself

'Wow congrats, never thought you would actually ask her' He tried his best to not fake smile at his friend, Jughead had the brightest smile on his face, finally all his dreams were coming true, college, a girlfriend soon to be his wife, a future

He never thought of taking that away from him

'Yeah, he asked me two months ago'

'When is this happening again?'

'In two weeks, July 15th' Betty said sitting on her steps, Archie followed and sat right next to her, he wondered if she lied to Jughead or him 

'Are you sure you want to do it?' He couldn't leave without fighting once again 

'Arch' he shivered, he hadn't heard that in five years 'don't begin with that again' she whispered 

'Betty, are you sure?' he noticed she didn't answered the question 

'Archie, please don't start what we buried years ago' She was looking straight forward 

'That you buried, and I'm not even sure if you did' 

'Archie shut up, I did, it's in the past' He couldn't let this go, if they did she would be unhappy although if she decided what she actually wanted was Jughead he would be in her wedding, supporting her as he had promised when they were 6 

'Betty' Archie started unsure 'don't marry him' 

'What?' 

'Don't marry him' He knew he was being selfish and that Jughead didn't deserve that but if they married, Jughead would be unhappy 

'Why?' 

'You know why' He noticed Betty had tears in her eyes 

'Archie stop you're being cruel' God she looked beautiful with her hair down 

'You know why, don't you? If you get married you'll be unhappy, Jughead will, and he doesn't deserve that' 

'He doesn't deserve this either, his best friend backstabbing him trying to get with his fiancé' Betty said and she was angry at him 

'Come on Betty, my friendship with Jughead is a joke, same as your friendship with Veronica' 

'You know nothing Archie, you left me for five years to deal with the downfall, I had to fix this, this thing you created' Betty had her fist into a ball, blood smearing her arms 

'Betty stop' He took her hands preventing her from doing more harm to herself 

'Archie don't... don't ever bring it up again, ever' Betty said with tears rolling down her cheeks and got up and left, he wondered to where she was heading if they were in front of her house 

______________________________

It was the wedding day, July 15th 

She had always dreamed of that day, the day of her wedding, of course she always thought the one she would be marrying was Archie, and not Jughead 

She was in her childhood bedroom, the one she had shared so many memories with both of them 

In the last two weeks she had been too occupied doing the wedding arrangements she didn't stop to think if this what she really wanted 

Of course it was, she had her ideas clear in her mind 

But in your heart too? 

Stop 

She said to herself, she was marrying Jughead, he was the safe option, if she married him no one would get hurt 

And she could be happy 

She wondered why she hadn't broke up with him years ago, she was tired and she wanted to experiment, and if she got married she would be tying herself without doing any of those things she wanted to do 

Just sleeping with one man, just that 

Archie was stupid he really was. He had been avoiding her this week raising Jughead's suspicion 

'Nothing is wrong babe' She said when Jughead asked about Archie's behavior 

'Are you sure?' She could tell he was insecure, again 

'Yeah, I'm not sure what got into him, it doesn't matter, you should talk to him, if you want to' Betty said smiling at him, he smiled back and kissed her 

She wondered when was the last time he had kissed and she had felt butterflies 

Or something 

Her mom entered her room 

'Hi sweetheart' Her mom said with a smile, her mom had softened over the years, FP had made her lower her temper 

'Hey mom' 

'Today is your day baby, are you excited?' Betty smiled 

'Yeah mom I've been waiting so long' 

'It's funny I always thought the one you would be marrying was going to be...' 

'Archie' Betty smiled trying to ignore the pause her heart did 'I know mom, there was a time when I thought so too, but Jughead is the one for me' The boy I share a brother with she thought bitterly 

Her mom smiled and stroked her hair 

'Alright honey, I'll leave you to it, or do you want help?' 

'I'm fine mom thank you' 

She got ready with Veronica and Cheryl's help, she was thankful none of them brought up Archie 

'There you go B' said Veronica leading her to her mirror, the white dress made her look pale and her lips really pink, her hair was in waves but she was ready 

'We'll take you to the church, are you ready?' Cheryl said stroking the side of her face 

'Yeah Cheryl I'm ready, thank you guys' 

'Alright let's go' 

Jughead was already waiting of her at the altar, smiling brightly at her, she smiled back and started walking, ignoring everyone's glance, except Archie's he was staring intently at her 

She looked back at Jughead, he was still smiling 

When she reached the altar, everything was blurry, she felt dizzy, like she was about to faint 

She was looking at Jughead smiling and she was wondered of how good she was at faking 

'And do you Jughead Jones take Elizabeth Cooper as your lawful wife to have and to hold, from this day forward for better or worse, for richer or poorer, of sickness and health, to love and cherish until death do you part?' 

'I do' said Jughead softly as he had practiced those words so many times 

'And do you Elizabeth Cooper take Jughead Jones as your lawful husband to have and to hold, from this day forward for better or worse, for richer or poorer, of sickness and health, to love and cherish until death do you part?' The priest said and Betty stared at Jughead so much her brain made and illusion that Archie was in his place, God she hated him for confusing her so much 

Jughead raise his eyebrow when she didn't answered and... she broke 

'I... I can't' she said, tears already pouring down her face 'I'm sorry Jughead' she let go of his hands and she will never forget the look of hurt on his face 

Betty walked away ignoring everything, everyone looked hurt and everyone was gasping, no one would have ever thought she had feelings for someone else 

She took her mom's car taking the keys from the short she had underneath her dress 

And drove through her tears, somehow she ended in pops, she walked through the door and smiled at Pops, as old as he was, he was always good for advice 

'Hey, here's the bride' Pops said with a gentle smile, she smiled through her tears 'What happened, Betty?' 

'I couldn't do it Pops' 

'Hmm, you hungry?' She smiled and nodded he went to the kitchen to make her she guessed a chicken soup 

Pops came back with a plate of soup and was silent as she eated 

'So you want to talk about it?' 

She nodded sadly 'I think I've been in love with Archie for 15 years Pops' 

'It was a matter of time, for you to notice' 

'What do you mean?' 

'Remember that spring break you got here?' Betty nodded 'You got drunk with Veronica in the speakesy and I heard you say, well you were laughing too I don't know what that meant, and you said and I quote' I'm miserable with Jughead, I'm not happy anymore investigating and writing with him, I can't have any other friend than him in school we are always together''

' I don't think I remember saying that' Betty was smiling but tears were in her eyes 

'You were drunk I'm guessing you forgot and Veronica did too' Pops said handing her a paper towel and she took it 

The door ringed and Pops stared at the door and then at her 

'Betty' She heard her name, and she already knew who it was 

'Arch' She said turning to him 'What took you so long?' She said smiling 

'I could ask you the same thing' Archie said with the brightest smile opening his arms to her and she jumped straight to his arms, she heard Pops laugh 

'You kids sit down I'll bring you some milkshakes' 

The thing is they would always be kids at Pops eyes, she liked that 

'I love you Betts' She heard Archie say and she smiled knowing that her future seemed brighter.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys :) this is my first work here so please don't be mean :(  
> English is not my first language either so sorry if I had any mistakes   
> I was making myself some quesadillas when I thought of Amy and Laurie and I thought why not apply it to barchie?


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